9.
The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludāyi
269.
Thus have I heard.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Now at that time the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī was dwelling at the Peacocks' Feeding Ground in the wandering ascetics' park together with a great assembly of wandering ascetics.
Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for almsfood.
Then this occurred to the Blessed One:
"It is still very early to walk for almsfood in Rājagaha.
What if I were to approach the Peacocks' Feeding Ground, the wandering ascetics' park, where the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī is?"
Then the Blessed One approached the Peacocks' Feeding Ground, the wandering ascetics' park.
Now at that time the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī was seated together with a great assembly of wandering ascetics, shouting, making a loud and great noise, and engaging in various kinds of pointless talk, that is: talk about kings, talk about thieves, talk about ministers, talk about armies, talk about perils, talk about battles, talk about food, talk about drink, talk about clothes, talk about beds, talk about garlands, talk about odours, talk about relatives, talk about vehicles, talk about villages, talk about towns, talk about cities, talk about countries, talk about women, talk about heroes, talk about streets, talk about wells, talk about the dead, talk about diversity, speculations about the world, speculations about the sea, talk about existence and non-existence, and so on. The wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Having seen him, he settled his own assembly - "Let the venerable ones be quiet, let the venerable ones not make noise. This ascetic Gotama is coming; that venerable one desires quietness and speaks in praise of quietness. Perhaps, having noticed that the assembly is quiet, he might think it fit to approach." Then those wandering ascetics became silent.
270.
Then the Blessed One approached the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī.
Then the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī said this to the Blessed One:
"Come, venerable sir, Blessed One.
Welcome, venerable sir, to the Blessed One.
It has been a long time, venerable sir, since the Blessed One made this occasion, that is to say, for coming here.
Let the Blessed One sit down, venerable sir;
this seat is laid down."
The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat.
The wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī too, having taken a certain low seat, sat down to one side.
To the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Udāyī, what discussion were you having as you sat together here? And what was the conversation that was interrupted?"
"Let that discussion stand, venerable sir, the discussion for which we were sitting together just now.
That discussion, venerable sir, will not be difficult for the Blessed One to hear later.
Whenever I, venerable sir, have not approached this assembly, then this assembly sits engaged in various kinds of pointless talk;
but whenever I, venerable sir, have approached this assembly, then this assembly sits looking up at my face alone -
'Whatever Teaching the ascetic Udāyī will speak, that we shall hear';
but whenever, venerable sir, the Blessed One has approached this assembly, then both I and this assembly sit looking up at the Blessed One's face -
'Whatever Teaching the Blessed One will speak, that we shall hear.'"
271.
"Well then, Udāyī, let that occur to you here, whereby you might address me."
"Some days ago, venerable sir, earlier than that, one claiming to be omniscient, all-seeing, acknowledging complete knowledge and vision - 'Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present.'
He, when asked by me a question concerning the past, evaded the issue with another issue, diverted the discussion outside, and manifested irritation, hate, and displeasure.
Then, venerable sir, mindfulness arose in me concerning the Blessed One -
'Ah, surely the Blessed One, ah, surely the Fortunate One!
Who is well skilled in these things.'"
"But who is that, Udāyī, claiming to be omniscient, all-seeing, acknowledging complete knowledge and vision - 'Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present' - who, when asked by you a question concerning the past, evaded the issue with another issue, diverted the discussion outside, and manifested irritation, hate, and displeasure?"
"Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, venerable sir."
"Whoever, Udāyī, might recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms might recollect manifold past lives, he might ask me a question concerning the past, or I might ask him a question concerning the past; he might satisfy my mind with the explanation of a question concerning the past, or I might satisfy his mind with the explanation of a question concerning the past.
"Whoever, Udāyī, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, might see beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, might understand beings according to their actions, he might ask me a question concerning the future, or I might ask him a question concerning the future; he might satisfy my mind with the explanation of a question concerning the future, or I might satisfy his mind with the explanation of a question concerning the future.
"But, Udāyī, let the past be, let the future be. I will expound to you the Teaching - when this exists, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises; when this is absent, that does not exist; from the cessation of this, that ceases."
"For I, venerable sir, am not even able to recollect with aspects and terms what has been experienced by me in this individual existence, how then shall I recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms shall I recollect manifold past lives, as the Blessed One does? For I, venerable sir, do not even now see a dust-goblin, how then shall I with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, see beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, shall I understand beings according to their actions, as the Blessed One does? But that which, venerable sir, the Blessed One said thus to me - 'But, Udāyī, let the past be, let the future be; I will expound to you the Teaching - when this exists, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises; when this is absent, that does not exist; from the cessation of this, that ceases' - that indeed is not clear to me even more so. Perhaps, venerable sir, I might satisfy the Blessed One's mind with the explanation of a question in my teacher's own doctrine."
272.
"Well, Udāyī, what is taught in your teacher's own doctrine?"
"Venerable sir, in our teacher's own doctrine it is taught thus:
'This is the supreme splendour, this is the supreme splendour!'"
“But, Udāyī, since it is taught in your own teachers’ doctrine: 'This is the supreme splendour, this is the supreme splendour!' - which is that supreme splendour?" “Venerable sir, there is no other splendour superior to or more sublime than that splendour - that is the supreme splendour."
“But which is that supreme splendour, than which there is no other splendour superior or more sublime?” “Venerable sir, there is no other splendour superior to or more sublime than that splendour - that is the supreme splendour."
"This could go on for a long time, Udāyī. You say: 'Venerable sir, there is no other splendour superior to or more sublime than that splendour - that is the supreme splendour,' yet you do not describe that splendour. Just as, Udāyī, a man might say: ‘Whoever is the most beautiful woman in this countryside, I want her, I desire her.’ Then they might ask him: 'Good man, that most beautiful woman in the country whom you want and desire - do you know whether she is of the ruling caste, the brahmin caste, the merchant caste, or the worker caste?' Thus asked, he would reply: 'No.' Then they might ask him: 'Good man, that most beautiful woman in the country whom you want and desire - do you know whether she has such a name or is of such a clan? ... Whether she is tall or short or of medium height? Whether she is dark or brown or golden-skinned? In which village or town or city she lives?' Thus asked, he would reply: 'No.' And then they might ask him: 'Good man, do you want and desire someone whom you neither know nor see?'" Thus asked, he would reply: 'Yes.'
"What do you think, Udāyī, this being so, does not that man’s statement turn out to be worthless?" "Certainly, venerable sir, this being so, that man’s statement turns out to be worthless."
"But in the same way, Udāyī, you say thus: '“Venerable sir, there is no other splendour superior to or more sublime than that splendour - that is the supreme splendour,' yet you do not describe that splendour."
"Just as, venerable sir, a lustrous beryl gem, of pure origin, octagonal, well polished, placed on a pale-yellow blanket, glows, radiates, and shines, so the self is of such splendour, [surviving] unimpaired after death."
273.
"What do you think, Udāyī? This lustrous beryl gem — of pure origin, octagonal, well polished, placed on a pale-yellow blanket — glowing, radiating, and shining, or a glowworm in the thick darkness of the night:
of these two splendours, which splendour is the more brilliant and sublime?"
"Venerable sir, the glowworm in the thick darkness of the night:
this is the more brilliant and sublime of these two splendours."
"What do you think, Udāyī? This glowworm in the thick darkness of the night, or an oil lamp in the thick darkness of the night: of these two splendours, which splendour is the more brilliant and sublime?" "Venerable sir, the oil lamp in the thick darkness of the night: this is the more brilliant and sublime of these two splendours."
"What do you think, Udāyī? This oil lamp in the thick darkness of the night, or a great mass of fire in the thick darkness of the night: of these two splendours, which splendour is the more brilliant and sublime?" "Venerable sir, the great mass of fire in the thick darkness of the night: this is the more brilliant and sublime of these two splendours."
"What do you think, Udāyī? This great mass of fire in the thick darkness of the night, or the morning star towards dawn, when the sky is clear and cloudless: of these two splendours, which splendour is the more brilliant and sublime?" "Venerable sir, the morning star towards dawn, when the sky is clear and cloudless: this is the more brilliant and sublime of these two splendours."
"What do you think, Udāyī? The morning star towards dawn, when the sky is clear and cloudless, or the full moon at midnight on the Observance of the fifteenth day, when the sky is clear and cloudless: of these two splendours, which splendour is the more brilliant and sublime?" "Venerable sir, the full moon at midnight on the Observance of the fifteenth day, when the sky is clear and cloudless: this is the more brilliant and sublime of these two splendours."
"What do you think, Udāyī? The full moon at midnight on the Observance of the fifteenth day, when the sky is clear and cloudless, or the full disk of the sun at midday in autumn, during the last month of the rains, when the sky is clear and cloudless: of these two splendours, which splendour is the more brilliant and sublime?" "Venerable sir, the full disk of the sun at midday in autumn, during the last month of the rains, when the sky is clear and cloudless: this is the more brilliant and sublime of these two splendours."
"Beyond this, Udāyī, there are very many gods whose radiance does not match that of the moon and sun — these I know. And yet I do not say: 'There is no other splendour superior to or more sublime than that splendour.' But you, Udāyī, say of that splendour which is inferior and meaner than a glowworm's: 'This is the supreme splendour,' yet you do not describe that splendour." "The Blessed One has terminated the discussion; the Fortunate One has terminated the discussion!"
"But, Udāyī, why do you say: 'The Blessed One has terminated the discussion; the Fortunate One has terminated the discussion'?" "Venerable sir, in our teacher's own doctrine it is taught thus: 'This is the supreme splendour, this is the supreme splendour!' But we, venerable sir, being cross-questioned, closely examined, and repeatedly addressed by the Blessed One about our teacher's own doctrine, are found to be empty, hollow, and mistaken."
274.
"How is it, Udāyī, is there a world of exclusive happiness? Is there a sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness?"
"Venerable sir, in our teacher's own doctrine it is taught thus:
'There is a world of exclusive happiness; there is a sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness.'"
"But which, Udāyī, is that sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness?" "Here, venerable sir, someone abandons the killing of living beings and abstains from killing living beings; abandons the taking of what is not given and abstains from taking what is not given; abandons sexual misconduct and abstains from sexual misconduct; abandons false speech and abstains from false speech; or else he undertakes and observes some kind of austere ascetic practice. This, venerable sir, is that sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness."
"What do you think, Udāyī? Whenever he abandons the killing of living beings and abstains from killing living beings, is his self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī? Whenever he abandons the taking of what is not given and abstains from taking what is not given, is his self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī? Whenever he abandons sexual misconduct and abstains from sexual misconduct, is his self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī? Whenever he abandons false speech and abstains from false speech, is his self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī? Whenever he undertakes and observes some kind of austere ascetic practice, is his self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī? Is there realisation of a world of exclusive happiness by following a practice of mixed happiness and suffering?" "The Blessed One has terminated the discussion; the Fortunate One has terminated the discussion!"
"But, Udāyī, why do you say: 'The Blessed One has terminated the discussion, the Fortunate One has terminated the discussion'?" "Venerable sir, in our teacher's own doctrine it is taught thus: 'There is a world of exclusive happiness; there is a sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness.' But we, venerable sir, being cross-questioned, closely examined, and repeatedly addressed by the Blessed One about our teacher's own doctrine, are found to be empty, hollow, and mistaken."
275.
"But how is it, venerable sir, is there a world of exclusive happiness? Is there a sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness?"
"There is indeed, Udāyī, a world of exclusive happiness; there is a sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness."
"Venerable sir, which is that sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness?" "Here, Udāyī, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... etc. enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption; with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought... he enters upon and dwells in the second meditative absorption; with the fading away of rapture... he enters upon and dwells in the third meditative absorption. This, Udāyī, is that sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness."
"No, venerable sir, that is not the sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness; for at that point, venerable sir, the world of exclusive happiness has already been realised." "No, Udāyī, at that point the world of exclusive happiness has not yet been realised; that is only the sound practice for realising a world of exclusive happiness."
When this was said, the assembly of the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī made a loud and great noise, crying out: "Here we are lost along with our teachers! Here we are lost along with our teachers! We know nothing higher than that!"
Then the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī quieted those wandering ascetics and asked the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, at what point is the world of exclusive happiness realised?" "Here, Udāyī, with the abandoning of bliss, a monk... etc. enters upon and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. He stays with those deities who have been reborn in a world of exclusive happiness, converses with them, and engages in discussion with them. It is at this point, Udāyī, that a world of exclusive happiness is realised."
276.
"Is it then, venerable sir, for the sake of realising that world of exclusive happiness that monks live the holy life under the Blessed One?"
"No, Udāyī, it is not for the sake of realising that world of exclusive happiness that monks live the holy life under me.
There are indeed, Udāyī, other states that are superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me."
"But what, venerable sir, are those states that are superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under the Blessed One?" "Here, Udāyī, a Truth-finder arises in the world, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. Etc. He, having abandoned these five mental hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. he enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption. This, Udāyī, is a state that is superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me."
"Furthermore, Udāyī, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a monk... etc. the second meditative absorption... the third meditative absorption... he enters upon and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. This too, Udāyī, is a state that is superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me.
"When the mind is thus concentrated, pure, bright, without blemish, free from impurities, supple, wieldy, stable, and having attained imperturbability, he inclines the mind towards the knowledge of recollecting past lives. He recollects manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms he recollects manifold past lives. This too, Udāyī, is a state that is superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me.
"When the mind is thus concentrated, pure, bright, without blemish, free from impurities, supple, wieldy, stable, and having attained imperturbability, he inclines the mind towards the knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of beings. With the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, etc. he understands beings according to their actions. This too, Udāyī, is a state that is superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me.
"When the mind is thus concentrated, pure, bright, without blemish, free from impurities, supple, wieldy, stable, and having attained imperturbability, he directs and inclines the mind towards the knowledge of the elimination of mental corruptions. He understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; 'This is the origin of suffering', etc. 'This is the cessation of suffering'... 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'... He understands as it really is: 'These are the mental corruptions'; 'This is the origin of mental corruptions'... 'This is the cessation of mental corruptions'... He understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions.' For one knowing thus, seeing thus, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of sensuality, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of existence, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of ignorance. When liberated, there is the knowledge: 'Liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.' This too, Udāyī, is a state that is superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me. These, Udāyī, are the states that are superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me."
277.
When this was said, the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī said this to the Blessed One:
"Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir!
Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness -
'so that those with good eyesight might see visible forms';
so too, the Teaching has been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways.
I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks.
May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination."
When this was said, the assembly of the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī said this to the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī - "Let not the venerable Udāyī live the holy life under the ascetic Gotama; let not the venerable Udāyī, having been a teacher, dwell as a disciple. Just as a water jar might become a water bucket, so will this accomplishment be for the venerable Udāyī. Let not the venerable Udāyī live the holy life under the ascetic Gotama; let not the venerable Udāyī, having been a teacher, dwell as a disciple." Thus indeed the assembly of the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī created an obstacle for the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī to the holy life under the Blessed One.
The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludāyi is concluded as ninth.